think I needv a Marlin tuner

[LostVaquero]

So got this 1894 Marlin Cowboy Limited (24") barrel. Got new springs and one piece firing pin, one piece trigger in it. The problem is that I have to pull hard on the lever. Once it unlatches things feel fine but I don't think the lever should be that tight.

 

So who should I send it to?

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Check the spring tension of the plunger, in the lever.

You can take a coil or two off that spring to light'n it up some.

OLG

[Warden Callaway]

I got a Wolff reduced power hammer and lever spring kit. Both were very light. I took out the lever latch plunger and polished it and the hole and installed the new, much lighter spring. The lever opens and closes with little effort now.

 

Just Sunday morning I took the plunger and spring out of Mary's Limited, polished the plunger and hole. I cut one full coil off the stock spring and reassembled. It's not quite as easy as the Wolff spring but still a big improvement.

 

The biggest struggle I had was getting a punch small enough to push out the pin.

[Cowboy Rick, SASS #49739L]

Check the spring tension of the plunger, in the lever.

You can take a coil or two off that spring to light'n it up some.

OLG

He's talking about the plunger on the rear of the trigger guard part of the lever. You should be able to depress this button without leaving a permanent make on your thumb.

 

CR

[Widder, SASS #59054]

LOST,

 

With the appropriate size punch, punch out the pin holding that plunger. BUT PLEASE NOTE: that pin is serrated on one end which gives its holding position while in the hole.

 

Once you start to punch out the pin, look closely at the protruding end and see if it is smooth or serrated. If its smooth, push the pin back in and drive it out the opposite direction. If you see those small serration, keep driving it out in that direction.

 

NOW, here are some helpful tips:

 

1. you can push that plunger on a Q-Tip and use the Q-tip to hold it while you polish it up with either a dremel polishing wheel or other polishing device. I normally start my polishing with some 2000 grit paper to remove the blueing and little metal and then polish up on a wheel.

 

2. you can wrap some 2000 grit paper around a dremel bit and actually polish down inside that hole to help remove any burrs and other 'stuff' that prevents the plunger from sliding in and out smoothly. SLIGHTLY bevel the entrance hole to eliminate any burrs from dragging on the plunger as its pushes in and out.

 

3. as mentioned above, either cut some coil(s) off the spring or replace the spring with a 'softer' spring, like one of the aftermarket springs listed above. I use a special spring made for medical equipment. But the LongHunter springs are great, as are others that have been mentioned. Another great spring that might already be in your household is a proper sized ballpoint pen spring.

 

When it comes to those springs, you have to be cautious as not to have them either too light or your lever will pop open while loading up the rifle. And you really don't want it to be too stiff either. You might have to try a couple different springs to get the goal you are looking for.

 

TWO other things to mention:

 

1. your lever/trigger safety bar spring is probably overly stiff. This pushes that bar downward on the lever which also can help force it open a little.

 

2. your mag tube spring also has an effect on the pushing of the lever when you are loading up your rifle. When you push those rounds thru the loading gate, the ONLY thing holding those rounds in position is the edge of the lever up inside the rifle. And the more rounds you push up in your mag tube, the stronger the force is pushing against your lever.....which is the main cause of the lever popping open when folks get to their 8th, 9th or 10th round.

You can help cure this problem by cutting your magtube spring to only about 3" to 4" longer than your magtube length.

OR, you can buy some good aftermarket mag tube springs that work great like the spring from The Smith Shop specifically useful in the 20" Marlin 1894.

 

While you have your magtube out and replacing the spring, clean up the inside of your magtube and polish it up with some Carnuba wax and polish dry.

 

ifn ya got any questions about all of this 'stuff', pick up the phone and give me a call this evening.

 

865 / 984-4455

 

 

..........Widder